Rep. Ro Khanna Urges US-China AI Treaty to Prevent Global Risks

Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), a top Democrat on the House Select Committee on China, is calling for a formal treaty between the US and China to prevent artificial intelligence from causing global havoc. The move comes as President Trump prepares to meet with tech and AI CEOs in Washington. In letters shared exclusively, Khanna requested the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to assess how effectively the US might respond to an AI lab losing control of its bots. He also asked the agency to evaluate the Chinese government’s approach to assessing catastrophic AI risks, information intended to help Congress and the White House craft an agreement with Chinese counterparts. Simultaneously, Khanna sent inquiries to major Chinese AI firms, including DeepSeek, Alibaba, and Moonshot AI. He requested documentation regarding their efforts toward achieving "superintelligence" and recursive self-improvement (RSI). The letters specifically asked about the implementation of safeguards and "kill switches," and whether these companies would commit to inspections by non-governmental agencies under a potential treaty. Khanna emphasized that while American and Chinese interests differ on many issues, preventing humanity from losing control of its destiny is a shared benefit that transcends geopolitical competition. Neither the ODNI nor the Chinese companies immediately responded to requests for comment.